Just a Really Nice Day in the Crescent City

A three hour drive really isn't that bad.  Especially if one can be in New Orleans by that time.  And that is exactly what I did Saturday morning.  I promised Sarah that I would take her with me to see Phantom of the Opera at the Saenger Theater there.  Our guys were flying home from a week long hunting trip in Illinois, the weather was nice and she had gotten the OK from her doctor that driving that distance (as long as we took a couple of stops along the way) would fine.

Hubby and I have had our Broadway Across America tickets at the Saenger for many years and we enjoy making that trip down to New Orleans almost monthly to spend some time in the Crescent City.  Sarah had never been to the Saenger for a production because after Hurricane Katrina it remained closed for renovations until just last year.  AND she had never seen Phantom of the Opera on the stage.  So this was going to be a big treat for her all around.

A couple of days before Saturday, however, I remembered that LSU would be playing Alabama on Saturday...in Baton Rouge (ugh...).  Anyone who lives in the state dreads going through Baton Rouge to get to New Orleans because of the terrible traffic.  And that is on any ordinary day.  Add a game day to that and then the biggest game of the season on top of that and you get an AWFUL MESS of traffic.  Happy to have thought of this before Saturday morning, I called Sarah and told her we needed to try to get out of town by 8 and hopefully avoid all of that traffic.  As expected, traffic WAS lined up on the interstate just before the bridge getting into the city.  The good news is that leaving at 8 that morning indeed paid off...we were only stuck for about 20 minutes!  And then it was on to New Orleans for the day!

My plan was to reach New Orleans in time to park close to the theatre and then walk down Canal Street to find a nice lunch before showtime.  The weather was nice and crisp (yes, even that far south) and that is exactly what we did.

We walked a few blocks down to The Palace Cafe' for a little lunch...and some dessert and coffee.  OK, I had the coffee and I knew that Sarah would want some dessert and she chose one of the yummiest ones that restaurants around New Orleans are famous for; Bananas Foster...

Did you know that not all restaurants make Bananas Foster table side?  I was told they had to have a permit to do this.  I personally LOVE to watch them make it table side.  It's SO New Orleans and if possible I think it just might make the dessert taste a little better!

With our bellies full, we walked the distance back to the Saenger and prepared to see this classic show...

It was a GREAT performance, a GREAT day and we had GREAT fun!  I'm so glad that Sarah wanted to go with me to New Orleans for the day.  That she feels comfortable enough with her mother-in-law and perhaps thinks of me more as a friend.  Those things made the day even better.  It was just a really nice day in the Crescent City and days like that are to be cherished.